There are a variety of services related to searching. For example, a user may enter a search term on a web page offered by a service, and the service returns a webpage containing matching results. A variety of techniques may be used to rank the results. For example, if the results are websites, the websites may be ranked based on their popularity. The results may also be selected and ranked based on the prior search history, e.g., a result is more likely to be ranked higher if many prior users selected the same result in response to a similar query.
A user may also enter a street address or latitude/longitude position as a search request. In response, the user will receive a webpage containing the results of the search. The results may include a map of the requested location and all of the businesses known by the system to be located at the address.
In addition to searching for locations, a user may also enter other search terms. For example, a user may search for “pizza” while viewing a map. In response, the service may provide listings that are proximate to the map and fall within the category of pizza restaurants or otherwise match the request such as having the term “pizza” in their company name. Other results may be provided as well, such as web pages and other information. The service may also display responsive advertisements to the user that are limited to particular geographic areas (e.g., particular cities or ranges of latitude/longitude coordinates).
In certain circumstances, the service also stores an association between the search terms entered by a user and the portion of the map being viewed by a first user. Those terms may be used, either alone or in combination with other prior user searches and criteria, to query and display advertisements when subsequent users view a portion of the map that overlaps with the prior portion.
One system, Google Maps, is also capable of displaying street level images of geographic locations. These images, identified in Google Maps as “Street Views”, typically comprise photographs of buildings and other geographic features and allow a user to view a geographic location from a person's perspective as compared to a top-down map perspective. When a street level image is taken, it is typically associated with a location such as the latitude/longitude position of the camera. The street level image may also comprise a 360° panorama, such that the user may view the panorama—and the objects captured therein—from a variety of angles. The service also displays a street address to the user that is intended to approximate the closest street address to the location of the camera when the image was taken.